Strap connector



Feb. 16, 1965 J. STACHERL 3,159,291

STRAP commcwoa Filed Oct. 26, 1962 INVENTOR. JOHN STACHERL ATTORNEYS United States aisaasi Patented Feb. 16, 1965 3,159,291 STRA? QQNNEQTOR Eohn Stacheri, New dritain, Qontn, assign-or to The (Zap-e well hlanufacturing Qompany, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticnt Filed Set. 26, E52, Ser. No. 233,321 8 tiliaims. (Qt. 24-195) This invention generally relates to strap connectors and more particularly to a reversible, adjustable quick-fit strap connector, having particular utility as an adapting linkage for harness webbing or the like and which constitutes an improvement over connectors or" the general type disclosed in the United States Patent 2,754,560.

One of the objects of this present invention is to provide an improved reversible, adjustable, quick-fit strap connector of the aforedescribed type that will effectively clamp the free end portion of a strap although the strap is subjected to a relatively great load and which, when the load is lessened or removed, will maintain the free end portion of the strap in the desired adjusted position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a strap connector incorporating a novel webbing tensioner that will efiectively secure the free end portion of a strap in its adjusted position when the strap is not under heavy load while at the same time permitting the strap portion to be easily and rapidly adjusted.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a novel webbin tensioner that may be economically manufactured and incoporated in connectors of the above described type wherein it will effectively function over long periods of use and without cutting or weakening the Webbing.

ther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of 4 parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a strap connector embodying the present invention, shown connecting a pair of strap ends which are broken awa FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the strap connector as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional vie taken generally along lines 33 of HG. 2 when the straps are under no tension;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view generally similar to that of FIG. 3 but taken when the straps are under a greater load;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the novel webbing tensioner utilized in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the strap connector, shown connecting a pair of strap ends which are broken away; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view generally similar to FlG. 4 but showing a third embodiment of the strap conector when the straps are under an even greater load.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the strap connector of the present invention, gencrall I designated by the nu metal 2, is shown as connecting together straps 4 and 6, strap 4 being fixedly secured to the connector and strap 6 being adjustably secured thereto. The strap connector 2 includes a frame 8 comprising parallel side members it), 12 and transversely disposed integral end members 14, 16 which define a generally rectangular opening 18. A gripping cross bar 29 is supported on the sidemembers It), 12 for sliding and limited pivotal movement by means of the bifurcated end projections 22, which loosely straddle the side members 19, 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the end member 14 receives the looped end 5 of the strap or web 4 which is stitched as indicated at 15 or otherwise secured in permanent fashion to fixedly embrace the end member 14 within its loop. It will be appreciated that any other suitable means may be utilized with equal advantage to fixedly secure the strap 4 to the end member 14.

The other strap 6 is adapted to be adjustably received by the frame by threading the free end portion 7 from either side of the frame around the cross bar 20, between the cross bar and the end member 16 and then outwardly of the frame 8, FIG. 1 showing one method of threading the strap 6 wherein the free end portion 7 is initially inserted into the frame 8 from the lower side thereof. The end member 16 and cross bar 20 are provided with a complementary tongue 23 and groove 24, respectively, which are cooperable to clamp the free end portion 7 of the strap 6, as shown in FIG. 4, when tension is applied to the strap 6 causing the cross bar 23 to slide and limitedly pivot or rock as more fully described in the above identified United States patent.

In many connectors of the aforeside described type, when the strap 6 is in a relatively relaxed or unclarnped state such as when no load is applied thereto, the strap portion 7 may move from its adjusted position due to vibrations imposed thereon.

In accordance with this invention, a novel webbing tensioner is provided which uniquely obviates the above problem without impairing the normal operation of the connector or the adjustability of the strap portion '7.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the webbing tensioner 36) comprises a generally wedge-like body formed from resilient sheet material such as spring steel or the like, which is positioned in the gap 32 formed between the end member 14 and the cross bar 20. The tensioner 3% is formed of a length such that it is closely received between side members it), 12 and includes first and second arcuate side Walls 34, 36 which extend through the frame opening 18, in converging fashion, and a third or top wall 38 projecting from the second wall as towards the first wall 34 and positioned in spaced relationship to the frame 8 on the top side thereof (as viewed in the drawings). The side walls 34, 36 are constructed and spaced from each other so that when the straps 4, 6 are in a relatively unclamped position as shown in FIG. 3 the side walls 34, 36 will have been flexed towards each other to exert a biasing force urging cross bar 20 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the side wall 36 engages strap portion 7 along a transverse line 41 which is spaced or offset from the plane of the frame 3 which passes through the end members l4, 16 to cause the cross bar it) to tilt slightly to increase the effectiveness of the clamping action on strap portion '7.

in order to secure the tensioner Si) in its wedged position against movement upwardly (as viewed in the draw ings), a stop means is provided, which in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a pin 46 received with a press fit, in a generally circular resilient socket 48 formed by the convergent ends of the side walls 34, 36. The pin 46 is dimensioned to project beyond the ends of the tensioner body so that its end portions 47 engage the side members it), 12 of the frame as shown in FIG. 2 to thereby preclude movement of the tensioner out of the frame in an upward direction (as viewed in the drawings). To locate and further fix the pin 46 in the socket 48, the center portion 5d of the pin 46 is formed with an enlarged dimension while an aperture 52 is provided in the wall of the socket 43, which aperture 52 receives the enlarged portion 50 whereby the latter is positioned to engage the edges 53 of the aperture to prevent relative axial movement between the pin and the tensioner.

. 3,000 pounds.

Referring to FIG. 3, the side wall 34 and the top wall 38 are provided with inwardly turned or reentrant portions wall 34 and its reentrant portion 60, respectively, so as to present smoothly curved surfaces toward the strap portions 5, 7, as shown in FIG. 5.

In assembly, the tensioner 30 is inserted in the opening 32 in the wedging engagement with the strap portions 5, 7 until the socket 48 is disposed below the side members 10, 12. Stop pin 46 is then inserted in the socket 48 so that its ends 47 engage the side members 1.0, 12 of the frame. To facilitate the proper orientation of the tensioner for insertion into the frame opening with the side wall 36 facing the cross bar 20, there may be provided a suitable indicator such as the arrow 70 shown on the top wall 38 of the tensioner.

With the tensioner assembled in place in the frame 8, the side Wall 36 will sufiiciently force the strap portion 7 against the cross bar to produce a clamping effect between cross bar 29 and end member 16, as shown in FIG. 3, which will prevent slippage of the strap portion 7 relative to the cross bar 20 when the strap 6 is not under tension. Although the tensioner 30 will eiiectively pre- :vent inadvertent slippage of the strap portion 7 relative to the cross bar Ztt, the resiliency of the side walls 34, 36

as well as their curvature will readily permit the strap portion 7 to be manually adjusted.

Referring to FIG. 4, in which strap 6 is shown as being tensioned as diagrammatically illustrated by the arrow, the cross bar it) will rock slightly due to the loose fit between the bifurcated ends 22 of cross bar 20 i and the side members 10 and 12 and slide towards the end member 16 to securely clamp the strap portion 7 therebetween. If the tension on the strap 6 is sufficiently great, the cross bar 20 may move away from the end 1 member 14 to permit the tensioner side walls 34, 36 to i move further apart. This action, coupled with the decreased thickness of the webbing forming the strap portions 5, 7, may result in gap 32 reaching a width sufiif ciently great so that the tensioner side walls 34, 36 change from a flexed state into a substantially natural or unfiexed state as shown in FIG. 4. In their. unflexed condition, the side walls 34, 36 will continue'to engage the strap portions 5, '7, at least for tension loads up to say While, under such conditions, the tensioner 30 may be ineffective to produce a clamping force between cross bar 20 and end member 16, there is no likelihood of slippage of strap 6'due to the clamping force resulting from tension load thereon. However, the

tensioner 30 will remain properly positioned in the gap 32, ready to maintain the strap portion 7 in its adjusted 15 except that, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the top wall 138 of the tensioner 130 is formed with a length that is greater than the distance between the side members 110, 112. of the frame Iii-8. In this manner, the ends 139 of the top wall 1380f the tensionerwill be positioned 'to abut against the side members 110, 112 of the frame as shown in FIG. 6 whereby movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening will always be precluded. Al-

though in most of the tensioned conditions of the straps, the width of the tensioner is great enough so as to preclude downward movement (as viewed in the drawings) of the tensioner as described above, when unusually great tension. loads are applied to the straps, the gap between the straps might possibly increase to the point where it will be greater than the width of the tensioner 39. Under such conditions of overload, the tensioner of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will not move downwardly out of the frame opening since the ends 139 of the top wall 138 will always be positioned to engage the side members 110, 112 to thereby limit movement of the tensioner in this direction, even though the side of the connector on which the pin 46 is located is not overlying a body being supported.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown another modified form of the tensioner of this invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the over-all width W, of the tensioner 23b in its natural or unflexed state, is of sufficient dimension so that it will always be greater than the gap 232 between the strap portions Ztid, 207, even when the cross bar 2249 is in its extreme right-hand clamping position (as shown in FIG. 7) as might be occasioned by very high tension loads on strap 6.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with first and second harness straps and the like, an adjustable strap connector comprising a frame having side and end members defining a strap receiving opening, means fixing the first strap to one of the end members, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding and limited pivotal movement, the second strap being adjustably threaded around said bar and between the bar and the other end member to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading of said second strap, and a strap tensioner comprising a resilient generally wedge-like body having an arcuate side wall positioned in said opening in engagement with said second strap along a transverse path ofiset from the plane of the frame to secure the second .strap around the gripping bar against movement when the second strap is not under tension, the corners of the arcuate side wall being rounded to present smoothly curved surfaces in contact with said second strap.

2. In combination with first and second harness straps and the like, an adju'stabie strap connector comprising a frame having side and end members defining a strap receiving opening, the first strap being threaded through said strap receiving opening around one of said end members and fixedly secured thereby, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding and limited pivotal movement, the second strap being adjustably threaded around said bar and between the bar and the other end member to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading on the straps,

;and a strap tensioner comprising a resilient generally wedge-like sheet metal body having first and second arcuing and engaging said first and second straps along paths offset from a plane of the frame passing through the end members thereof, said tensioner body including a third wall projecting from said second wall towards saidfirst wall and positioned on one sideof the frame, the corners of the tensioner between the second and third walls being 'rgunded to eliminate sharp edges adjacentsaid second strap, said side walls meeting to define elongated pinreceiving socket spaced on the other side of said frame, and a pin received in the socket with a press fit and having ends projecting from the socket to engage the side members of the frame on said other side for preventing movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening in a direction toward the third wall.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein the wall of the body defining the socket has an aperture therethrough and wherein the pin has a portion of enlarged dimension received in the aperture to axially locate and further fix the pin in the socket.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said second and third walls of the tensioner have inwardly turned portions in generally overlying relationship with each other and wherein the corners of the tensioner between the first wall and the inwardly turned portion thereof are rounded.

5. In combination with first and second harness straps and the like, an adjustable strap connector comprising a frame having side and end members defining a strap receiving opening, means fixing the first strap to one of said end members, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding movement, the second strap being adjustably threaded around said bar and between said bar and the other end member to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading of said second strap, and a generally wedgelike strap tensioner comprising first and second resilient side walls positioned in said opening between one of said end members and said second strap and in wedging engagement therewith respectfully for maintaining a bias ing force urging said gripping bar toward said other end member irrespective of the loading on said second strap, said tensioner further comprising a third wall projecting from said second wall towards said first wall across the frame opening and having a length greater than the distance between the end members whereby the end portions of the third wall are positioned to engage the side members to prevent movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening in one direction, said tensioner having means engaging the side members of the frame on the other side thereof for preventing movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening in a direction opposite to said first direction.

6. In combination with first and second harness straps and the like, an adjustable strap connector comprising a frame having side and end members defining a strap receiving opening, means fixing the first strap to one of said end members, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding movement, the second strap being adjustably threaded around said bar and between said bar and the other end member to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading of the second strap, and a strap tensioner comprising first and second spaced resilient side walls positioned in said opening between one of said end members and said second strap for maintaining a biasing force urging said gripping bar toward said other end member to secure the second strap in its adjusted position while it is not under tension, said tensioner further comprising a third wall projecting from said second Wall towards side members of theframe on the other side thereof for preventing movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening in a direction opposite to said one direction.

7. An adjustable strap connector comprising: a frame having side and end members defining a strap-receiving opening, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding and limited pivotal movement, a strap adjustably threaded around said bar and between said bar and one of the end members to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading of the strap, and a strap tensioner comprising first and second resilient side walls positioned in said opening with one of the walls engaging a transverse portion of said strap disposed on said gripping member along a path offset from the plane of said frame to urge said grip ing bar toward said one end member to thereby clamp said strap therebetween regardless of the loading on said strap, the corners of the portion of the tensioner engaging said strap being contoured to present smoothly curved surfaces to said strap.

8. In combination with first and second harness straps and the like, an adjustable strap connector comprising a. frame having side and end members defining a strapreceiving opening, means for securing the first strap to one of said end members, a gripping bar disposed in said opening and having its ends mounted on the side members for sliding movement, the second strap being adjustably threaded around said bar and between said bar and the other end members to be clamped therebetween upon tension loading of said second strap, and a generally wedge-like strap tensioner comprising first and second spaced resilient side walls positioned in said opening between said one of said end members and directly engaging said second strap along a transverse path to clamp the same against said bar, said strap tensioner further maintaining a biasing force urging said gripping bar toward said other end member whereby the second strap is secured in its adjusted position irrespective of the loading on said second strap, said tensioner further having means including a third wall projecting from said second wall and overlying a portion of the frame for preventing movement of the tensioner out of the frame opening.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,754,560 Warner et al July 17, 1956 2,938,254 Gaylord May 31, 1960 

7. AN ADJUSTABLE STRAP CONNECTOR COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING SIDE AND END MEMBERS DEFINING A STRAP-RECEIVING OPENING, A GRIPPING BAR DISPOSED IN SAID OPENING AND HAVING ITS ENDS MOUNTED ON THE SIDE MEMBERS FOR SLIDING AND LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT, A STRAP ADJUSTABLY THREADED AROUND SAID BAR AND BETWEEN SAID BAR AND ONE OF THE END MEMBERS TO BE CLAMPED THEREBETWEEN UPON TENSION LOADING OF THE STRAP, AND A STRAP TENSIONER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT SIDE WALS POSITIONED IN SAID OPENING WITH ONE OF THE WALLS ENGAGING A TRANSVERSE PORTION OF SAID STRAP DISPOSED ON SAID GRIPPING MEMBER ALONG A PATH OFFSET FROM THE PLANE OF SAID FRAME TO URGE SAID GRIPPING BAR TOWARD SAID ONE END MEMBER TO THEREBY CLAMP SAID STRAP THEREBETWEEN REGARDLESS OF THE LOADING ON SAID STRAP, THE CORNERS OF THE PORTION OF THE TENSIONER ENGAGING SAID STRAP BEING CONTOURED TO PRESENT SMOOTHLY CURVED SURFACES TO SAID STRAP. 